Salvia plant named ‘Bocofpea’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Salvia  plant named ‘Bocofpea’ that is characterized by its densely branched, compact plant habit, its laciniate shaped leaves, its foliage, peduncles and flowers that are densely pubescent, its flowers that are light violet to violet-blue in color, and its individual flowers that are held in an average angle of 0° to 45° to vertical.

Botanical classification: Salvia hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Bocofpea’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rights application filed on Nov. 28, 2019, application No. 2019/3144. There have been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to the effective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one of ordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed plant breeder's rights documents. This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Application filed for a plant derived from the same breeding program that is entitled Salvia Plant Named ‘Bocoffla’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/192,098).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia of hybrid origin and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Bocofpea’. ‘Bocofpea’ is an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

The new Salvia arose from a breeding program conducted by the Inventor at a nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Salvia cultivar with unique leaf shapes, flower colors and plant shape.

The new Salvia originated by allowing open pollination to occur in July of 2015 between an unnamed proprietary seedling of Salvia jurisicii as the female parent and various other species and cultivars of Salvia planted in the area. The male parent is therefore unknown. ‘Bocofpea’ was selected as a unique single plant resulting from the resulting seedlings in summer of 2018.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the inventor by stem cuttings for further trials in summer of 2017 in Boskoop, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cutting has shown that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Bocofpea’ as a unique cultivar of Salvia.

-   -   1. ‘Bocoffla’ exhibits a densely branched, compact plant habit.     -   2. ‘Bocofpea’ exhibits laciniate shaped leaves.     -   3. ‘Bocofpea’ exhibits foliage, peduncles and flowers that are         densely pubescent.     -   4. ‘Bocofpea’ exhibits flowers that are light violet to         violet-blue in color.     -   5. ‘Bocofpea’ exhibits individual flowers that are held in an         average angle of 0° to 45° to vertical.

The female parent differs from ‘Bocoffla’ in having a spreading plant habit, leaves that are pinnatifid to deeply laciniate in shape, foliage, peduncles and flowers that have pubescent hairs that are longer in length, individual flowers that are held in an upside-down angle, and flowers that are dark blue in color. ‘Bocofpea’ can also be most compared to Salvia nemorosa varieties ‘Blauhügel’ (not patented), ‘Blue Marvel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,018) and Salvia ‘Bocoffla’. ‘Blauhügel’ and ‘Blue Marvel’ are both similar to ‘Bocofpea’ in flower color. ‘Blauhügel’ and ‘Blue Marvel’ both differ from ‘Bocofpea’ in having more upright plant habits, entire margins, inflorescences that are shorter in size, and flowers that are held vertical. ‘Blauhügel’ also differs from ‘Bocofpea’ in having flowers that are light blue in color. ‘Bocoffla’ differs from ‘Bocofpea’ in having flowers that are light pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of a 6-month-old plant of the new Salvia as grown in a 15-cm container from 3 plugs per container in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant of ‘Bocofpea’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Bocofpea’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Bocofpea’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Salvia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar 6 months in age as grown outdoors in 15-cm containers from 3 plugs per container in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Average of 4 months from late May to late             September in The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Broadly spreading, upright, densely branched,             and compact.         -   Plant size.—Average of 24 cm in height (soil level to top of             foliar plane), average of 36.2 cm in height (soil level to             top of floral plane), 45.5 cm in spread as grown in a 15 cm             container and up to 50 cm in height and spread in the             landscape.         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 10.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Propagation.—Vegetative stem cuttings.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Root development.—20 days for root initiation, 60 days to             produce a young plant from rooted cutting. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—4-angled.         -   Stem color.—New growth; 146D, mature stems; 144A.         -   Stem size.—Average of 16.3 cm in length (excluding             inflorescence), 2.5 mm in diameter.         -   Stem surface.—Slightly glossy, moderately covered with short             hairs, average of 2 mm in length, N155A in color.         -   Stem fragrance.—When rubbed, the stems are pleasantly             fragrant.         -   Internode length.—Average of 4.8 cm.         -   Branching.—Average of 9 primary branches, 27 secondary             branches. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrowly ovate to narrowly oblong in outline and             lanceolate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Acute.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf fragrance.—None.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, 141B in color on upper surface, 138B             in color on lower surface.         -   Leaf margins.—Crenate, lobed; medium to deep, divergent.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces non-rugose, upper surface;             smooth, slightly glossy to very slightly glossy, main vein             sparsely covered with short hairs 2 mm in length, N155A in             color, lower surface smooth, dull, main vein sparsely             covered with short hairs 1 mm in length, N155A in color.         -   Leaf size.—Up to 8.7 cm in length and 3.5 cm in width.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface 141B, young lower surface             138B, mature upper surface NN137A and 147A, mature lower             surface 147B.         -   Petioles.—Average of 1.9 cm in length, 2 mm in width at             widest point, strong, color; upper surface 145A, margins             136A, lower surface 146C, both surfaces slightly glossy,             both surfaces are slightly glossy and moderately to densely             covered with short pubescent hairs 2 mm in length, N155A in             color. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal verticillaster.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Individual flowers average of             10 days, very freely flowering, self-cleaning.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 11.9 cm in length and 2.3             cm in width.         -   Flower type.—Single, labiate.         -   Flower number.—An average of 50 flowers per inflorescence,             200 per plant.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward to slightly nodding, individual             flowers twisted in an average angle of 45°.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower buds.—Obovate in shape, average of 6 mm in length and             2.5 mm in diameter, color; 144B, tinged 176B on the upper             surface, immature sepals 86A, average of 1,600 per plant.         -   Flower size.—Average of 1.3 cm in length and about 5 mm in             diameter, throat diameter 1 mm, tube length 5.5 mm, tube             diameter 1.5 mm.         -   Peduncle (rachis).—Quadrangulate, an average of 16.7 cm in             length and 1.8 mm in width, color 143A, strong, matte,             surface is densely covered with very short hairs 0.75 mm in             length, N155A in color, angles ranging between vertical and             30°.         -   Pedicels.—An average of 2 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width,             color N77B, strong, matte, surface is densely covered with             very short hairs 0.75 mm in length, N155A in color, held at             angles ranging between 20° and 90°.         -   Calyx.—Campanulate, about 6.5 mm in length and 6 mm in             width.         -   Sepals.—2, oblanceolate in shape, 85% fused, 6.5 mm in             length, 3 mm in width, apex emarginate, tip of sepal cleft,             margins are moderately covered with very short glandular             hairs; average of 2 mm in length, too small to measure             color, upper surface smooth and glabrous, matte, lower             surface moderately pubescent with very short hairs average             of 1 mm in length, N155A, matte, color; upper surface when             opening and fully open 147B, veined 147A, lower surface when             opening and fully open 146D, upper sepal 152A, veined N79B.         -   Petals.—Labiate, 1 upper lip, 1 lower lip, average of 2 per             flower, 1 whorl, lower 40% fused, upper lip; 7 mm in length,             1.5 mm in width, oblanceolate in shape and folded,             emarginate tip, fused into tube, entire, non-undulate,             glabrous, slightly velvety, lower lip densely pubescent with             short hairs 1 mm in length, 86A in color, color; upper             surface when opening and fully open N88C, lower surface when             opening and fully open N88B, finely dotted with NN155D,             lower lip; 0.75 mm in length, 5 mm in width, spathulate in             shape with two smaller lateral lobes, retuse tip, lateral             lobes obtuse, fused into tube, entire, non-undulate,             glabrous, slightly velvety, lower lip densely pubescent with             short hairs 1 mm in length, 86A in color, color; upper and             lower surface when opening and fully open N88B, lower             surface when opening and fully open N88B, upper and lower             lip; throat and tube texture glabrous, slightly velvety,             matte, flower throat color N87B, flower tube color N88D,             base N155A.         -   Floral bracts.—Below each whorl of flowers there are two             bracts, oppositely placed, broad ovate to reniform in shape,             4 mm in length, 4 mm in width, broad cuneate base, top             abruptly acute, both sides matte, smooth and glabrous,             margins entire, moderately pubescent with very short hairs;             average of 0.75 mm in length, N155A in color, both surfaces             143A in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, average of 1.5 cm in length, 2 mm in             diameter, cleft, decurrent, style; 1.4 cm in length, N82A,             base N155A, stigma; 2 mm in diameter, cleft, decurrent in             shape, 86B in color, ovary; 169A to 169B, top 144A.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 2, filaments; N155A in color, average             of 2 mm in length, anthers; narrow oblong, 0.75 mm in             length, 0.35 mm in width, 161D, pollen; none.         -   Fruit and seed.—Observed to be sterile with no viable seeds             formed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘Bocofpea’ as herein illustrated and described. 